Tuesday, December 9, 2014

old fashioned spice cake with orange cream cheese frosting

During the holidays, you'll often see cakes like a Yule Log, Gingerbread House, and Trifles on dessert tables . . . along with supporting desserts like cookies, candies, and fudge.

BUT have you ever had an old-fashioned Spice Cake?

They're a deliciously flavorful cake full of spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg! This recipe is extra special because it calls for a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger and a couple of tablespoons of molasses for an amazing zing!

To further enhance the warm flavors in the cake, I bloomed the spices in butter . . . intensifying their aroma and giving the cake a heightened spice impact throughout its tender and moist crumb.

A luxuriously smooth orange cream cheese frosting is spread between every layer and on the top and sides. The orange zest adds a festive touch to the frosting, as does the addition of the reserved spice mixture from the cake.

These are actually photos of a client's cake. So to see the inside, you'll have to treat your family and friends to one this holiday season. You won't be disappointed!

a few cake TIPS

. . . . . . .

To add height to the cake, I cut each 8-inch round in half horizontally so that there are a total of 4 8-inch layers.

You can dress up this cake by adding a cookie crumble topor sides. I love the texture it adds to the cake. If you choose to do this, then I recommend using a dry cookie, like crisp gingersnaps or an old-fashioned cinnamon graham crackers (like the ones found at Trader Joe's). They'll stand up to the moisture of the frosting and stay crisp, giving you delightful contrast of textures. YUM!

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together
in medium bowl. In small bowl, gently whisk eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla to
combine. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat remaining 12 Tablespoons
butter with sugar and molasses on medium high speed until pale and fluffy,
about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Reduce speed to medium and cooled butter spice mixture,
ginger, and half of egg mixture; scrape down the bowl. Repeat with remaining egg mixture; scrape down bowl. Reduce speed to low and
add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk,
scraping down the bowl.

Mix at medium speed until batter is thoroughly combined,
about 15 seconds. Give batter a final stir by hand.

Scrape batter into prepared pans, smooth tops with rubber
spatula, and gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.

Let cake cool completely in pan or on wire rack, about 2
hours. Run pairing knife around edge of cake to loosen from pan. Invert cakes
onto a wire rack, discard parchment, then turn cakes right side up.

do not use low fat or non fat cream cheese or the frosting will turn out too soupy to work with

. . . . . . .

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

4 teaspoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups (7 ounces) confectioners' sugar

. . . . . . .

Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, mix cream cheese, butter, sour cream, vanilla, orange zest, and salt at medium high speed until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners' sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute.

I think I could pin everything you make. I'm a huge fan of spice cake, but then you took it to the next level with ORANGE cream cheese frosting-YUM! I love the crumb idea too, and, of course, your beautiful decorating. This sounds like a great Christmas Eve treat. I hope you and your family are enjoying the season!

Such a beautiful cake, and I love the addition of the orange zest in the frosting. I add gingersnap crumbs to the sides of my carrot cake, so yummy! Thanks for sharing at On Display Thursday.-Leia @ Eat It & Say Yum

My goodness, your photos are beautiful! An orange frosting with this cake is such a good idea. As to the original Cook's Illustrated recipe, I can vouch that it is fantastic! I made this again a few days ago for the second time, and it was SOOOOOOOOOOO delicious. About six months ago, I made it side-by-side to the Cook’s Country Spice Cake and an old recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that I made probably 15 years ago. I loved the BHG recipe then, but boy were these new recipes better! The CI version was the spiciest of the bunch, with a medium crumb, and I loved the frosting. The CC version had that perfect cake crumb that I’ve tasted before from this company, with a more mild spice flavor, but still a buttery delicious cake. I will definitely be making BOTH of them again! I just love Cook’s Country – Cook’s Ilustrated – America’s Test Kitchen!